Easter Wanderings

March 24, 2008

Yesterday, Easter, we went to my in-laws house for a few hours. As we were driving there, I spotted a very large gathering of geese at a set of ponds near my in-laws house. I, of course, had my camera, but I also had a car full of unwilling participants in photo gathering, so we continued to our planned destination without pictures of the geese. I told Jeff that I really wanted to go to the lake later and get some pictures as it was a decent day weather wise and there would still be some ice at the lake.

After lunch and some “encouragement,” aka begging, Jeff agreed to go to the lake. I offered him a cup of coffee from Starbucks, which would get me closer to the ponds with all the geese, so I could stop “for just a minute” and snap a few photos. It worked like a charm…except that most of the geese were gone, and those left had moved further north, well away from the access road, so a “quick photo” would not be so quick after all! Oh, well! I could still go to the lake…

Not thinking clearly, I had left the house with my camera, but not with appropriate winter wear. As we got out of the car at the lake, I realized the error of my ways as a very cold blast of Canadian air hit me full in the face. I promptly put up my hood which provided a barrier when I was facing south, but of course the lake is to the north. At least my ears were protected, unlike Jeff’s. As we began walking, I got excited as the lake was angry looking, so there were lots of waves. The ice that was present was the kind that built up there in layers and was hesitant to loosen it’s bitter grip. I only took about 30 pictures before I could no longer feel my thumbs and my fingers were raw (no gloves either). Here are a few of the best.

This one reminds me of something in a sci-fi movie…some alien planet’s surface or something.

Check out all that glistening ice on the beach and grass above it.

As the water came up to the break wall, there were some pretty big splashes.

I will never understand how birds can float around in such cold water! At least they were somewhat protected from the wind. They are in a stream that empties into the lake.

This is slightly further upstream from where the ducks were. This is where I realized that I could no longer feel my thumbs and decided it was time to head back to the car to relative warmth.